On the 15th July at 5:27pm I gave birth to a little girl. She was a healthy 8Ib 6oz and we have called her Roisin – pronounced Rosheen.

After all the waiting, and eventually getting my head around the fact that I was going to have to be induced, my labour started naturally the day before I was due to be admitted to hospital. When my contractions were five minutes apart we set off for the hospital, only for them to slow down slightly! At 3:25pm the midwife broke my waters and two hours later I had my little girl!

Even though it is only a year since I had Trent I’d managed to put the experience out of my mind… as soon as the contractions started I realised what I’d let myself in for. Fortunately I only had to have gas and air for the last hour or so when the contractions were really intense. Most of my friends say the most painful part is when you have to push, but for me this means the end is near and I’m then in a position to help myself – it’s my favourite stage of labour. During the birth I tried to do everything the midwife suggested, like breathing as she instructed to stop any tearing – thankfully it worked and I feel really good now, a lot better than after I had Trent. We came home the following day and Roisin has settled in well. Trent’s a bit nervous of his sister but I will update you on that relationship as it develops. Dad is also finding it a bit different with a girl – he keeps saying he is scared he will hurt her but I keep reminding him she’s a pound heavier than Trent was!

So far so good, I’m managing well and really happy. I’m breastfeeding her myself, and last night she only woke once for a feed. I’m sure there are going to be some really hard times ahead but we’re doing fine at the minute.

My gorgeous girl:

I can’t believe I am still sat here ten days overdue and not a contraction or hint of breaking waters in site. I was a week overdue with Trent but I never expected it this time around. In fact with all the time I spend running round after Trent I was convinced I might even go early.

The midwife has now visited on two separate occasions to perform what they call a “stretch and sweep”. I’m quite a private person and this is the first time I have had any kind of internal examination during my pregnancies – last time I was only examined whilst in labour and by then I couldn’t care less – so it was slightly embarrassing to go through. I can only describe it as like having a cancer smear. It was uncomfortable and slightly painful, but once I relaxed it was fine, and I soon forgot about it once it was done. Even so, as it didn’t work, it turned out to be a complete waste of time!

On the second occasion the midwife said I was about 2cm dilated, which confused me as by this time with Trent I was having contractions and in labour, she explained that each pregnancy is different and that once you have had one baby your muscles can loosen slightly!!

I’m now waiting for Wednesday, when I am booked into hospital to be induced. I have heard all sorts of horror stories about the procedure so I will report back and let you know as soon as it’s over and done with. The thing that is bothering me most about being induced is that they do it at night and send your partner home. We live 45 minutes away from the hospital, and last time when they sent Dad home – assuring him I wouldn’t have a baby until at least the following dinnertime – he almost missed the action! Just one and a half hours later I had Trent as Dad raced through the labour ward door to witness the final moments of the birth. Everyone always says that your second birth is quicker than the first so I have made him promise to sleep in the car in the car park if they chuck him out of labour ward!

Hopefully the next blog I write will include some lovely pictures and a video of my new baby. Dad was taking pictures of my now massive bump the other day and told me to include it in this blog but there is no way I’m going to put everyone through that sight!

What a day! It was chaos from the minute we got up, until the minute we all went to bed. I had been planning and organising Trent’s first birthday party for weeks and I can’t believe it all went to plan.

Trent absolutely loves ‘In the Night Garden’, so I decided that would be the theme. Dad tried to tell me that I shouldn’t make a massive fuss because he’s only one and won’t remember any of it… but I wanted to make him feel special. Especially as I feel guilty that my pregnancy has meant I haven’t been able to do as much with Trent as I’d normally like.

I ordered all the things I needed of a website called ‘Party Pieces’ – www.partypieces.co.uk. They had everything I wanted in the theme I had picked. Altogether it cost me about £50 for the plates, cups, straws, dishes, table cloths, party bags with contents and balloons. I didn’t think this was too bad as it only left me with the buffet to organise.

I was conscious of the fact that at least half of Trent’s guests were under one, and the rest were only toddling, so I thought carefully about food and I think I managed a good balance. Dad was really impressed with it all.

The table consisted of:

• a fruit platter – strawberries, melon, orange, apple and grapes – all in bite size chunks
• a salad platter – cherry tomatoes, cucumber, celery, raisins and sultanas – again all in bite size chunks
• raisins and sultanas covered in yoghurt
• rice cakes
• sausage rolls
• various things from the organix and goodies ranges such as chew bars, biscuits, crisps etc…
• sugar-free ice-creams and jellies
• strawberries with yoghurt.

We played pass the parcel, and all the prizes and paper layers were from the ‘In the Night Garden’ range. We even had an Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy cake. Dad thought it was all over the top, but after everyone had left and we both sat down he told me how proud he was of me and how well I’d done.

I’ve been getting really choked up lately when I’ve been spending time with Trent, I keep feeling guilty about the fact I’m going to have another baby and won’t be able to make as much of a fuss of him. Dad keeps telling me that it will come naturally and that I will love them both exactly the same and that neither of them will think any different. I know he is right but I think my hormones are driving me mad and that’s why I’m having all these thoughts.

Trent waking up on his first birthday

Opening cards and presents with dad

All of Trent’s friends enjoying the party

Trent saying hello to his friend Libby

Trent’s friend Sienna

Trent’s best friend Jayden

Trent and mummy exhausted after their exciting day!

Now that I have finished work for maternity leave it means I get to spend lots of time with Trent. One of our favourite activities is to meet up with his best friend Jayden. The boys are really close in age – Jayden was born just eight weeks earlier than Trent so his mum and I went through the ups and downs of pregnancy together.

Last week we visited a local café – it has a large garden with a play area and lots of animals for the children to look at, including rabbits, ducks, birds and chipmunks. Jayden can now walk so Trent gets a bit frustrated that he can’t keep up on foot… but like a dutiful friend he does follow him around on his hands and knees.

On this particular day Jayden wasn’t in the best of moods and seemed to be a bit under the weather, Trent on the other hand was ultra-excited. He ate everything in sight and managed to tip himself head first off one of the park toys. Luckily, as there were child friendly chippings on the ground, he only ended up with a face full of scratches – I dread to think what might have happened if it had been concrete!

It’s funny to think that these two have been friends for almost a year now (I can’t believe how much they’ve grown!). I love to watch them playing together because you can really see how different their personalities are. Trent is quiet, chilled out and laid back, whereas Jayden is quite loud and has a very dominant nature – he always seems to be the boss when they are together.

Trent desperately trying to keep up with a fully mobile Jayden

Trent and Jayden shortly before Trent’s accident

Haven’t they grown?

After finally finishing my university exams (though I’m yet to find out if I have passed), it was time for me to finish work and concentrate on getting ready for the arrival of the new baby. Needless to say I’m nowhere near as organised as I was last time around, but this time I’ve been so busy with Trent, the pregnancy just seems to have flown by.

With eight weeks to go I had to return to hospital for another scan because my placenta had been lying very low. The scan revealed that it was still lying low, and so I was told to come back a fortnight later when they would have one last look and decide whether or not I needed to have a caesarean. I had assumed that this birth would be similar to Trent’s, but now I was hit by the realisation that I might not have this baby naturally, and I went in to overdrive panicking. I was worried about how long I would need to be in hospital, whether I would need a longer recovery period, and if so how Trent and dad would cope. I also wasn’t sure if I would be awake or asleep during the labour, and if it would hurt afterwards. The questions were endless!

I returned to the hospital at 34 weeks, but this time saw a different nurse. After taking a look she asked why I had need another scan. I explained and she said that the baby’s head was engaged and ready to go, and that my placenta was as it should be! I couldn’t believe it, and in a way I’m still a bit sceptical, but I’ve stop panicking and have calmed down. Whatever will be will be – if the baby doesn’t want to enter the world naturally that’s just life and I will deal with it.